Given time anything will grow on lava rock!
The volcano has started to erupt again this morning...episode 13.....we will not venture out that way, only watch on the live stream.
Star fruit test...by the time you scoop out the seeds there is not much fruit left to eat. It's texture is similar to the chocolate pudding fruit, slightly sweet....
Pool and gecko time.......
Who you looking at???
And a much awaited Lucy update!
Lunch at the local golf course with an amazing view.
Off to Mauna Kea..... the reason I packed gloves, scarf and puffer coat.... to Hawaii!!! George packed less but he is more tolerable of cold than I am.
Half way stop ..... we layered up!
So after we arrived at the Visitor centre we were asked to stay for 30 minutes to get used to the altitude at 9,200 feet above sea level. It is very common to experience altitude sickness. Then they stop you to make sure you have a 4x4 and know how to drive it. From the Visitor Centre you drive 4 miles on gravel and then 4 miles on paved roads up to 13, 803 feet above sea level...brutal on the body. We certainly felt light headed.
Mauna Kea has 40% less oxygen than sea
level and 40% less air pressure than sea
level and we felt this pretty early on.
Beautiful views all the way up!
Then we made it!
-2 celcius....brrrr with a 15 km wind.... not what you think in Hawaii!
George looks a wee bit cold!!!
We had time before sunset so drove around and had a Hawaiian snowball fight
world's largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries.
So on our way up, we saw 2 people walking their bikes...they were at about the 5 mile mark from the Visitor centre...man, we thought these crazy people... they can never make it to the top....
Then after sitting at the top waiting for sunset...I saw the wheels of a bike....i could not believe it...I had to go out into the freezing weather to see if it was them.... and it was!!!
Turns out they were from Bulgaria and they had riden from Hilo this morning....12 hours!
This ride is considered one of the most
extreme cycling climbs in the world. From
the beach in Hilo to the telescopes at the
summit it's 4,200m of altitude gain in one
continuous climb of nearly 70km.
I mean we were feeling it by riding in a Jeep to the top, this was crazy!
The sunset was cool ....like really cool...brrr
We thought we would stargaze while up there.... but it was too early...and almost a full moon... so we just decided to find a pullout and with wine glasses in tow we had a toast to the coldest place in Hawaii!
We heard crackling of a water bottle on the way but thought it was just a few bottles crackling... no.. just one that looked like it was stepped on!
Cheers!
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